Edge guard



1934. A. A. PARTNER 1,981,750

IEPGE GUARD Fi led Jan. 16, 1934' Gum/MA;

Patented Nov. 20, 1934 EDGE GUARD Albert A. Partner, Biglervillepla assignor to IRice, Trew.& Rice Co. Inc.';.Biglerville, Pa., a

corporation of Pennsylvania 7 Application January 16, 1934, Serial No. 706,866

2 Claims. (01.. 217-3) This invention relates to an edge guard, and it is an object'of the invention to provide a guard which is intended to bedisposed along :a side edge of a box or kindred receptacle in which citrus fruit and the like is to be packed and wherein the guard is provided with means substantially midway its ends for maintaining the guard in desired position with respect to the box or container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guard of this kind wherein the central portion of the guard is provided with means for en- ,gagement witha transverse wall of a box or container and more particularly a mid or central wall.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved edge guard whereby certain important advantages are I attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed. I I

In order that my invention maybe the better understood, I will, now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

, Fi ure l is a view in perspective illustrating edge guards constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and in applied position; a II I Figure 2 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section through Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in plan of one of the guards as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating a guard constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of my invention;

Figure 5 is a View in plan of the guard as illustrated in Figure 4.

In the embodiment of my invention as illus'. trated in Figures 1 to 3, B denotes a box or kindred container having its central part intersected by a wall or partition 1. Coacting with the box B in a conventional manner is a lid L. A guard G is adapted to be arranged along the upper inner portion of each side wall of the box or container B to extend above said side wall to bridge the space between the upper edge of said side wall and the applied lid L. The guard G when so applied operates effectually to substantially eliminate liability of injury to the fruit or kindred content 'of the box or container upon the application of the lid L and also avoiding the liability of some of the 0011- I tent falling out between the applied lid L and the upper margin of the associated side wall-W of the box 'or container.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 my improvedgu'ard comprises a band of relatively heavy paper stock, such as cardboard or other material capable of being used for the purpose desired, and is of a length substantially equal to the distance between the end walls E of the box or container. I I

The bandis preferably disposed on a curvature from one end to the other with the .upper edge on'an outbow; The curvature of the outer edge is such as to approximately conform to the maximum bulge of the top layer of fruit packed within'the box or container B thus assuring an effective bridging of the space between the applied lid L and a side wall W. The guard or band'G isalso quite broad so that when it is in applied positionit will extend a considerable distance I within the upper portion of the box 13 so that the pressure from within of the box contentor particularly an upper layer of fruit will coact *with' the lower marginal portion of the applied guard or band G to hold the same against the I "side wall W and thereby facilitate its mainte: nance in working position. I

- The band or guard G when in its initially flat or'-blank'form is provided in its central part and ats ubstantially its transverse center with a I longitudinally disposed slit a, the central portion of which having in communication therewith a transversely disposed slit 1) which opens at the inner or inbow .edge of the guard or band G.

Between this inbow or inner edge of the guard or II bend G and the ends of the slit a are arranged the scored or otherwise weakened lines 0 herein .disclosed as in parallelism with each other and with the slit b. The slits a. and b together with the weakened lines 0 provide flaps 2 adapted to extend inwardly from the guard or band G for engagement withthe opposite faces of the central wall or partition 1 when the guard or band or guard to a box, yet the desired angular arrangement of the flaps 2 may be eifected at the time the guard or band G is being applied by bringing the portion of the guard or band between the weakened lines 0 into contact with the upper portion of the central Wall or partition 1. While the notch itself provides means to prevent the applied guard or band G from having rocking movement when the partition or wall 1 is within the notch yet it often occurs that there is considerable separation between the side walls and central partition or wall of the box B due sometimes to the inward pressure of the box content, sometimes to the hasty and imperfect assembly of the box and for other reasons.

erefore, under such conditions should the guard or band G be disposed above or within such spacing the tendency of rocking movement of the guard or band G would be materially increased. However, this is avoided by the contact of the flaps 2 with the side faces of the central wall or partition 1, said flaps 2 being or" a length sufiicient to compensate for the general spacing .just referred to between a side wall W and a partition or central wall 1 of the box. It is also believed to be clearly apparent that as a means to prevent rocking movement of the guard or band G, these flaps 2 in the event of the spacing conditions just mentioned also serve to materially facilitate the eifective placement of the guard or band G in working position.

' It is also to be stated that the flaps 2 when engaged with the opposite faces of the partition or central wall 1 with the band G to one side of said partition or wall, have suflicient frictional contact with said wall or partition to assure the maintenance of the guard G in desired applied position.

It has also been fully demonstrated in practice that the notch 3 or the associated flaps 2 provide an effective means for maintaining the guard G in applied position without requiring any holding means at the extremities of the guard G or, in other words, the guard G is entirely free of any end wall engaging means. In fact, the end edges of the guard G may be spaced from the end walls E when the guard G is applied without in any way impairing the efliciency of the guard.

I In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the guard G is adapted to be applied to a box or container B in the same general manner as hereinbefore referred to with respect to the guard G. The side margins of the central notch 3', however, are free of any defining flaps or the like and the side edges of this notch 3 are adapted to have direct contact with the opposed faces of the central partition or wall 1' to hold the applied guard G against any tendency to rock upon said wall or partition 1 as a fulcrum and also to hold the applied guard G against endwise movement. The upper or base edge of the notch 3 will also provide an effective medium to limit the extent of insertion of the guard G within the box or container B.

In this embodiment of my invention the notch 3 provides the sole means for coaction with the central partition or wall 1 for holding and supporting the guard G in working position.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an edge guard constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. An edge guard for a container for fruit or the like comprising a band adapted to be positioned along an upper edge of the container and extending above such edge, the lower marginal portion of the band having means to receive a part of the container to hold the band in applied position, the coaction of said means with the part of the container constituting the sole support for the band when initially applied.

2. An edge guard for a container having an intermediate transverse wall comprising a band to be positioned along an upper edge of the container and extending above such edge, said band being of a length less than the distance between the end walls of the container, the lower marginal portion of the band having a cut out portion to receive a part of the intermediate wall to hold the band in applied position, the coaction of said out out portion with the transverse wall constituting the sole support for the band when initially applied.

ALBERT A. PARTNER. 

